Braider carrier



A118- 4, 1959 R. v. oLsoN 2,897,7.16

BRAIDER CARRIER Filed Feb. 10, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @NINIIIHIUIWIIII- l Hlllllll INVENTOR. /Z ob erf V.' O/so/z ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 4, 1959 l R. v. OLSONI 2,897,715

BRAIDER CARRIER Filed Feb. 1o, 1956 3 sheets-sheet 2 y i @1 INVENToR.

t )90,6 erf V.' O/so/z BY M Y @MV/M ATTORNEYS.

R. v. oLsoN BRAIDER CARRIER Aug. 4, 1959 s sheets-sheet s Filed Feb.- 10. 1956 INVENTOR. Rober M /s of? TTORNEYS United States Patent BRAIDER CARRIER Robert V. Olson, Attleboro, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Wanskuck Company, Providence, RJ., a corporation of Rhode Island Application February '10, 1956, Serial No. v564,786

13 Claims. (Cl. 87-'57) This invention relates to a supply bobbin carrier for fa braiding machine for braiding single and multi ends of `wire and the like materials.

Braiding machines employed for making braid and The carrier is moved along the plate in Ameans of horn gears which engage a stud projecting from the bottom of the carrier base. The base of the carrier has a guide -web which projects into the serpentine track and is held therein by means of oppositely disposed flanges which engage on each side of the deck plate. Thus, the carrier is held at only the base end to the plate in cantilever fashion and projects outwardly in a general horizontal direction. In making braid of the above-mentioned materials a relatively high braiding tension is required. In braiding machines wherein the carriers move along horizontal paths, the tension on the strand is had by a weighted member which slides along a vertical post. The tension provided by this member is usually increased by spring pressure which is supplied by means of a relatively long very flexible compression spring so as to produce a reasonably uniform tension. It will be apparent with carriers moving along a vertically held plate as above described that the mass of the tension member is not effective for applying tension and this 'loss must be compensated for by increased spring pressure. Increasing the diameter of the wire is `not desirable in that the uniform spring pressure is not had. T o increase the length of the spring so as to provide the more nearly uniform desired pressure requires a corresponding increase in length of carrier post. 'Ihis is likewise undesirable in that the increased mass and lengthening of post increases the leverage arm factor of the post tending to cant and cramp the guide web against the sides of the serpentine track and restrain the smooth travel of the carriers.

It is also a common practice in carriers for braiding Wire material to mount the supply bobbins for rotation labout an axis extending at right angles to the posts of the cairier. This limits to a marked degree the size of the supply bobbins.

An object of this invention is to provide a braider carrier having means for applying a uniform spring pressure tension on the strand during the braiding operation.

Another object is to provide a braider carrier so constructjed that an increased spring pressure may be had without lengthening the carrier post.

Another object is to provide a braider carrier so constructed as to accommodate a large capacity wire supply bobbin.

Another object of this invention is to provide for drawing the strand from the supply bobbin in such a manner as to yeliminate any sharp bend in the strand.

With these andl other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as w1l1 be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a braider machine carrier embodying my invention and shown in an upright position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the outer portion of the carrier of Figure 1; y

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4 4 of Figure 1 with the supply bobbin omitted;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the carrier with certain parts omitted;

Figure 6 is a top plan view showing the relation between the strand guides and supply bobbin;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the outer end portion of the carrier, showing the structure of one of the strand guides; and

Figures 8 and 9 are sectional views with the lower portion in plan and largely diagrammatic, illustrating the two carriers in positions of minimum clearance between them in two different positions of said carriers.

The braider carrier has a base 10 which is adapted to be moved along the top plate 11 of a braiding machine in a serpentine path in the usual manner well known in the art. The base 10 has an upstanding boss 12 from which there rises a spindle 13, the upper end portion of which is annularly grooved adjacent the end so as to form a neck 14 and an annular shoulder 15 (see Figure 5). The supply bobbin B is rotatively received on the spindle 13, and the neck portion projects beyond the upper end of the`bobbin B. The upper end portion of the boss 12 is generally circular in cross section and provides a seat 16 (Figure 4) against which the toothed flanged end of the bobbin seats.

Also rising from the base 10 there are three standards or posts 17, 1S and 19 which extend in parallel relation with each other and with the spindle 13 The upper end portion of these posts are secured to each other by a bridge 20 which has an opening 21 therethrough in which is received a strand guiding unit 22, best seen in Figure 7. This unit comprises a cylindrical body 23 having a pair of spaced ears 24 and a reduced shank 25 having screw threads 26 cut in the lower end thereof. A guide bore 27 extends through the shank and opens between the ears 24. A sheave 23 is rotatively mounted between the ears 24, and its contact surface is in line with the bore 27. The opening 21 is counterbored at each end for a pair of ball bearings 30 in which the shank 25 is journalled. A clamp nut 31 swivelly secures the unit 22 to the bridge 20.

A bobbin lock unit 32 has a tubular body 33 from which an L-shaped plate 34 extends. The plate is provided at its free end with a slotted opening 35 which is of a size to receive the neck 14 of the spindle. A wire spring clip having a pair of resilient jaws 36 and a handle 37 is secured to the upper side of plate 34 in contact therewith and with the jaws and is positioned in register with the slotted opening 35. The body 33 is slidably and rotatively mounted on post 19 and is manually swingable toward and from the spindle 13. The unit 32 normally moves withV the plate 34 into engagement with the upper end of the bobbin, the slotted opening 35 and jaws 36 receiving the neck 14 of the spindle. The unit may be swung out of engagement with the spindle to a position shown in Figure 3 so as to free the bobbin for the removal thereof as when dotlng.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description and referring to Figure 2, that when unit 32 is in bobbin locking position, the plate 34 is in position to take any outward thrust of the bobbin 13 and free the clip of any 3 end thrust from the bobbin. Thus, the plate 34 may be referred to as a bobbin end thrust plate.

The bobbin 13 is normally held against rotation during the working of the previous released stretch of strand pulled from the bobbin. 'I'his isf accomplished by means of a latch 38 (Figure 4) which is pivotally mounted as at 39 on the boss 12 aty one side thereof. Y The right end or front end portion of the latch is formed into an L- shape with the outer arm 40 thereof extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base and is adapted to be moved into engagement with a tooth 41 (Figure 1) on the toothed ange of the bobbin so as to hold the bobbin against rotation in a clockwise direction under pull of the strand thereon. The other side of the boss 12' is extended as at 4Z (Figures 4 Vand 5) and forms a thrust abutment against which the end 40 engages. The latch 38 is rockable -about pivot 39 to swing the end 40 out of engagement with the toothed end of the bobbin as indicated in broken lines 38 to free the bobbin to be rotated under pull of the strand thereon. The other end portion of the latch 38 has right angularly extending spaced arms 43 and 44 (Figure 1) between which a latch releasing member 45 engages to swing said latch into or out of engagement with the toothed ilange of the bobbin B.

The member 45 is slidably mounted on thepost 19 and has a foot 46 (Figure 4) which is provided with an opening 47 through which the post passes and a forked projection 48 which extends into engagement with post 18 so as to maintain member 45 against relative rotation about post 19. The foot 46 extends toward latch 38 and terminates in a cylindrical form which engages between the arms 43 and 44 (Figure l). The upper end 49 of member 45 has an opening through which the post 19 passes and the foot and upper end 49 are connected to each other by a bar 50. A compression spring 51 surrounds the post 19 and is arranged with one end thereof resting against the end 49 and the other end thereof against a guide sleeve bracket 52 to be hereinafter described, which is adjustably fastened to the post 19. The spring 51 acts on the member 45 in a direction to urge the foot 46 to a position to hold the latch in the normal bobbin engaged position as seen in Figure 1. The body 33 of member 32 engages against bracket 52 as a limit of movement toward the base of the post and is maintained into engagement therewith by means of a compression spring 53 acting between body 33 and bridge 20.

A weighted str-and tensioning member 54 (Figure l) which carries a rotatable sheave 55 is slidably mounted on posts 17, 18 and has a finger 56 (Figure 4) movable therewith which is moved in a path, the upper end of which intersects the inner side of portion 49 of member 45. A compression spring 57 surrounds the post 17 and a similar spring 58 surrounds the post 18. These are of equal strength and are arranged to have one end thereof engage against member 54 and the other ends against the bridge 20, thus applying an equal tension on said member 54. A third sheave 59 is pivotally carried on a mounting member 60 which is secured to bracket 52.

The strand S is led over the sheave 59, thence toward the base and around sheave 55, thence from the base Y through bore 27 and over sheave 28. During the operation of the machine the strand S exerts a pull on member 54 against the tension of springs 57, 58. As the extent of the strand between the bobbin B and the point of braiding becomes less, the weighted member 54 will be moved outwardly along said posts 17, 18 until the finger 56 reaches the inner end 49 of memberV 45. Upon further movement of member 54 in the same direction, the finger 56 will move into engagement with the said end 49 and carry member 45 with it against the spring pressure thereon. This will cause foot 46 to swing latch 38 about pivot 39 and swing arm 40 toward the base out of engagement with the toothed flange of the bobbin B. The bobbin thus being released will rotate to allow a new Vlength of strand S to be taken from the package B. This additional length of strand S released permits member 54 under the urging of springs 57, 58 to move inwardly along posts 17, 18 toward the base. Upon a suicient inward movement of member 54, the iinger 56 will be moved out of engagement with end portion 49 which in turn under urge of spring 51 will follow the inward movement of the member 54 and `cause latch 38 to be swung in a direction to return engagement of end 40 with a tooth on the bobbin and arrest the rotational movement thereof.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be seen that the axes about which sheaves 55 and 59 rotate are parallel to each other. Sheave 28 being swivelly mounted will, under action of the strand passing thereover, align its axis to be parallel with the axis of sheaves 55 and 59. It will also be seen in this Figure 6 that the axes of these sheaves extend at right angles to a line T extending tangentially to the diameter of substantially one half a full bobbin. This will provide for balanced drawing of the strand from a full to an empty bobbin without placing any kink therein at near both extremities of the supply on the bobbin as indicated by line T and T". The sheaves have outwardly flaring flanges to guide the strand on to the cylindrical surface thereof.

As will be seen in Figure 8, a line between the tension posts 17 and 18 will intersect the axis of the sheave 55 at substantially the center point of the sheave. Thus, the center of the sliding sheave is mid way between and always centered or in balance with respect to the two guiding posts. In order to accomplish this result and also to provide for a maximum size bobbin, shown by dotted line 66 as seen in Figures 8 and 9, the post 17 is on a shorter radius R1 than the` radius of post 18 on radius R, as seen in Figure 9, and it has been found that in order that the minimum clearance designated 67 in Figure 9 may be had, it is essential that this post 17 be on this shorter radius than post 18 in order that a clearance may be maintained between the package as shown by line 66 and this tension post 17 with its necessary support and sliding carrier for the sheave 55. In order that these relations of the sheave and post may be maintained for this maximum size bearing, it has been found essential that these radii from the center of the bobbin be dilerent.

From the above description it will be apparent that in providing for two compression springs to provide the tension on the strand, I have increased the pressure without an increase in diameter of the spring wire. Thus, for a given amount of outward movement of the weighted member 54 the spring pressure will be more uniform than would result in the spring pressure from a single but larger diameter wire. It will also be apparent that providing two compression springs enables me to retain the same length of post so as to maintain the same leverage arm factor when the braider carrier is employed lto operate along a vertically disposed braider machine deck plate. It likewise will be apparent that in positioning the bobbin spindle 13 parallel to the posts 17, 18, and 19 and providing a firm locking and thrust abutment for holding the bobbin on to the spindle, I am able to employ a much larger wire supply bobbin than the usual right angularly positioned bobbin heretofore used.

I claim:

1. In a braider carrier, a supply bobbin spindle, a post removed therefrom, a functionally rigid thrust plate swingably mounted on said post and normally at a position engageable with the end of said bobbin spindle, and a clip carried by said plate and detachably engageable with said spindle for holding said plate in said normal position.

2. In a braider carrier according to claim 1 wherein said plate partially embraces said spindle.

3. In a braider carrier according to claim 1 wherein said spindle has an annular groove and said clip detachably engages the walls of said groove.

4. In a braider carrier according to claim 1 wherein said plate has a slotted opening and said `cllip has a pair of jaws in register with said slot, said spindle having a neck received in said opening and about which said jaws engage.

5. In a braider carrier having a base, a supply bobbin spindle extending from said base, three posts extending from said base in parallel relation with each other and to the bobbin spindle, a tension member slidably mounted on two of said posts, said posts being at unequal distances from said spindle, a compression spring encircling each of said two posts and extending into engagement with said tension member, a strand guide sheave carried by said tension member, and a strand guide sheave carried by the third of said posts, said sheaves being rotatable about axes extending parallel to each other.

6. In a braider carrier having a base, a supply bobbin spindle extending from said base, a plurality of posts extending from said base in parallel relation with each other, a tension member slidably mounted on two of said posts, a strand guide sheave carried by said tension member, the axis -of said sheave being at an oblique angle to a plane intersecting the axes of said posts on which the tension member is slidably mounted.

7. In a braider carrier having a base, a supply bobbin spindle extending from said base, three posts extending from said base in parallel relation with each other, `a tension member slidably mounted on two of said posts, a compression spring encircling each of said two posts and extending into engagement with said tension member, a strand guide sheave carried by said tension member, and a strand guide sheave carried by the third of said posts, said sheaves being rotatable about axes extending parallel to each other, the axes of said sheaves being at an oblique angle to a plane intersecting the axes of said posts on which the tension member is slidably mounted.

8. In a braider carrier having a base, a supply bobbin spindle extending from said base, a plurality of tension posts extending from said base in parallel relation with each other, a tension member slidably mounted on two of said posts, the radius of the axes of the two posts from the center of the bobbin spindle being unequal.

9. In a braider carrier having a supply bobbin spindle and three ixed posts extending from the base parallel to each other and to said spindle and of a length at least equal to the spindle and springs on two of said posts at least the length of said spindle, said two posts having axes of unequal distances from said spindle.

10. In a braider carrier having a base and a supply bobbin spindle, three posts extending from the base parallel to each other and to said spindle, a bobbin thrust plate swingably mounted on one of said posts, and a strand tension member slidably mounted on the other of said two posts and compression springs on said two posts.

11. In a braider carrier a spindle, a plurality of posts parallel to the spindle having a plurality of rotatable strand guide sheaves carried by said posts and extending substantially in line with each other and rotatable about axes extending parallel with each other, one of said sheaves being located intermediate the ends of said spindle `and another of said sheaves being slidable on said posts and still another of said sheaves being swivelly mounted on one of said posts.

12. -In a braider carrier a spindle, a plurality of posts parallel to the spindle having la plurality of rotatable strand guide sheaves carried by said posts and extending substantially in line with each other and rotatable about axes extending parallel with each other, one of said sheaves being located intermediate the ends of said spindle and another of said sheaves being slidable on said posts and still another of said sheaves being swivelly mounted on :one of said posts, the first said sheave being tangential with the circumference of the supply material when one half empty on said supply bobbin.

13. In a braider carrier having a base, a boss extending from said base, a bobbin spindle extending from said boss, a latch, a pin pivoting said latch on said boss to swing about an axis at right angles to a plane passing through the vaxis of said spindle toward and from the head of a bobbin on said spindle, said boss having an abutment surface projecting in a plane generally at right angles to the axis of said pin to Ia distance substantially the radial length of the latch against which said latch slidably engages as it swings about its pivot.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 998,031 Neufeld July 18, 1911 1,172,719 Littleeld Feb. 22, 1916 1,265,146 Wardwell May 7, 1918 1,325,933 Eberly Dec. 23, 1919 1,689,116 Cook Oct. 23, 1928 1,940,498 Johnson et al Dec. 19, 1933 2,033,925 Cook Mar. 17, 1936 2,053,161 Olson et al. Sept. 1, 1936 2,058,917 Scott et al Oct. 27, 1936 2,452,250 Lochner Oct. 26, 1948 

